Why Gratitude?

While we are still learning why gratitude actually works, the science is clear that its benefits are not just limited to the holidays. Expressing gratitude turns out to be one of the most effective tools we have for adding positivity and connection.

Research shows that saying “thank you” and feeling gratitude are as good for us as for the people we are thanking. When we say “thank you” or express gratitude to someone else, we must leave the confines of our own private experience and consider others and our relationship to them ­– two things that have been shown to improve adaptive functioning.

Indeed, studies show that the practice of gratitude is associated with:

increased happiness and optimism

strengthened immune systems

lower blood pressure

increased generosity and compassion

reduced feelings of loneliness and isolation

The Squeaky Wheel Shouldn’t Always Get the Grease

Sometimes the squeaky wheel shouldn’t get the grease. While we are set up neurologically to attend to pain and discomfort, we have a hard time detaching from it. We can easily become mired in thinking only about the negative, and then we struggle to get out of the negative spiral our anxiety can cause. Indeed, negative feelings, and anxiety in particular, invite us to action, sending us important messages that deserve our attention. However, when we focus on the negative aspects of a situation, it is easy to get lost in negative feelings and miss the bigger picture – the opportunity to take action. When we focus on greasing only the squeaky wheel, we end up neglecting all the other wheels.

Gratitude Expands Our Perspective

Taking a general “attitude of gratitude” helps us keep a broader perspective on our place in relation to others, and protects us from getting too wrapped up in ourselves. When we search for reasons to be thankful, we are focusing on the positive – an exercise that is well-known to help alleviate negative thinking and the negative feelings that follow. Because feelings follow thoughts, it pays to be vigilant about the thoughts we engage. Focusing on positive thoughts, and the feelings of gratitude that naturally follow, allows us to broaden our perspective, especially when we get mired in the negative.

Gratitude Builds Connection with Others

Expressing gratitude to others is a basic tenet of human interaction, and it helps us build interpersonal connection and relationships. There is never a bad or inappropriate time to express gratitude or to say “thank you.” People love to hear that they are appreciated, and we feel closer to people when we express gratitude – a powerful display of authenticity and vulnerability.

Gratitude is a Choice

Finally, gratitude is a choice. While there will always be elements of our lives with which we struggle, choosing to see the positive is an exercise that builds mental resilience. Any time you are in a challenging situation, the act of asking yourself what you are grateful for will literally change your feelings for the better.

Where our thoughts go, our feelings follow. So don’t be afraid to think positively and ask yourself what you can be grateful for today.

Thank you Dr. Clark for speaking to the fact that human bodies thrive when embracing gratitude. I started a gratitude journal many years ago. Some days, when I felt more like strangling my kids and murdering my husband then expressing gratitude, I seriously struggled to simply write “Thank you for shelter, thank you for food,..” Over time however, things changed dramatically. In the same manner our biceps get stronger when we exercise, so too do the pathways to gratitude grow stronger when we exercise them. Not only did gratitude become easier with practice, my body’s capacity to flood me with happy hormones like oxytocin increased also – a natural high in its purest form. Thank you for sharing this good news forward!